


time:space

by tostitos



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Chatting & Messaging, First Meetings, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Long-Distance Friendship, M/M, Online Friendship, minhyuk shows up for a paragraph
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 13:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15931814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tostitos/pseuds/tostitos
Summary: shy guyhey peachya home yet?i found season three of catfish w/ korean subtitlesprincess peachand you want to torture me with cringe?also, why are you awake?shy guybecause i found season three of catfish w/ korean subtitlesand i missed you(Having a friend who lives across the world is hard for Hyungwon and Jooheon, who need to overcome both having no time and being kept away by too much space.)





	time:space

**Author's Note:**

> ship rl soft boyfriends, ship hyungheon
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/monstazet)|[blr](http://at-tostitos.tumblr.com)|[cc](https://curiouscat.me/tosties)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> like everything i post, this hasn't been proofread

The familiar ringtone fills Hyungwon’s room and he sits on the edge of his bed and drags his computer closer so he can answer the video call. He drags his fingers through his hair, still a little gross and stringy from the sweat of dance practice. As soon as the video feed connects and the image of his friend with his arms cushioning his head fills the screen looking like a screengrab from an 8bit video game, Hyungwon slides off his bed.

“I’m gonna jump in the shower really quick, is that okay?” he says, looking around for the oversized shirt he usually sleeps in.

“Yeah, go for it.”

Walking around his bed, Hyungwon picks up his shirt from where it was slung over the back of his desk chair. He stops by his dresser to pull out a pair of loose, grey cotton shorts for modesty before announcing that he’s going to be back and leaving for the bathroom down the hall.

He tries not to take too long, lamenting how much he was fantasizing about soaking in the bath after showering the entire time. He’s not too annoyed though; it’s been a while since he and Jooheon have had the time to chat after his dance team started ramping up practice in preparation for the World of Dance qualifier, and even though they message each other all the time, Hyungwon still feels like he hasn’t talked to him in forever.

When he returns to his room, towel slung over his shoulder to catch droplets hanging off the ends of his hair, and flops down on his bed, the screen is already split between Jooheon’s video feed and an already playing episode of Catfish.

Jooheon has a habit of glancing into the camera when he talks and the eye contact always makes Hyungwon feel like they’re talking face to face instead of bridging a chasm of over nine thousand kilometers online. After nearly half a year since they changed from sending twitter DMs to exchanging Skype IDs, Hyungwon still isn’t sure if he likes that or not.

“Welcome back,” he says. The dim lighting of his laptop doesn’t do much to illuminate his face but Hyungwon can still see the indent of his dimple that his small, close-lipped smile makes.

Hyungwon smiles back, grabbing the Shy Guy plush Jooheon sent him as a congratulatory present after Hyungwon won first in the new way vogue category in a competition two months ago. He folds his legs and pulls the plush into his lap to hug.

“I can’t believe you’re up to watch this dumb show.” Hyungwon shakes his head.

“That and I missed hearing your voice too.”

The calm of his gaze and the sleepy husk of Jooheon’s voice causes a flush to curl its way around the tips of Hyungwon’s ears. Lifting his legs so that they’re bent at the knees, he presses his nose into the plush and hides a smile, heart fluttering as it tends to do when Jooheon gives one of his casual, sweet compliments.

It’s a strange feeling, having a crush on someone you’ve been talking to online but haven’t met in person. There’s all of the usual symptoms — butterflies, questioning if everything he says is too obvious, thinking the sun is shining in his face whenever he gets to see Jooheon’s — but with an extra dose of insecurity and hopelessness. They’ve talked so much for nearly a year, and although Hyungwon feels like he knows Jooheon better than some of his real life friends, he wonders if he’s stupid for wanting to gift his heart to someone an entire ocean away. And Jooheon became a  _lot_  sweeter with time but Hyungwon has crushed on many nice, charming boys who were just naturally like that and not interested too.

“How was practice?” Jooheon asks, yawning at the end.

“Exhausting,” Hyungwon replies, lowering the plush and settling his chin on top. He talks a little bit about the new songs they’ve added to the mashup, pushing their seven minute routine up to nine minutes. “I wish we would have at least a few days off but apparently the team came close to qualifying last year so everyone is really determined to make it to the international competition this year.”

“I wish you’d have time off too. Because then you’d have more time for me.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy,” Hyungwon apologizes, giggling when Jooheon pouts like a child told he doesn’t have time to go to the park to play with his friends. “How are things over there?”

Sighing loudly, Jooheon rolls onto his side. “Boring. I told you Changkyun left for his internship in D.C last week so now it’s just me and my parents at the restaurant for the rest of the summer, right? I’m happy for him but I also wish I didn’t have to cancel my trip to Korea just because my parents don’t wanna hire someone new.”

Hyungwon hums sympathetically. He was really looking forward to Jooheon visiting too. They planned it in the spring, back before Hyungwon realized that his feelings for Jooheon had deepened. Jooheon was supposed to come for a week, when both of their summer vacations overlapped. At first, Hyungwon was really excited to show his friend around because Jooheon has never been before, and then he was simply looking forward to really having Jooheon there, with him.

In a few weeks Jooheon was going to be there, sharing the cramped space of Hyungwon’s one bedroom apartment and spending every day with him. It was something Hyungwon didn’t think would happen and now it’s not, Jooheon forced to stay home in California.

But he doesn’t want to let Jooheon know just how disappointed he is.

“Maybe we can try again in winter,” Hyungwon says, hugging his plush a little tighter and giving Jooheon a light smile that the slightly younger man returns.

“Will you still want me in the winter?”

Eyes widening, Hyungwon flinches. “What do you mean?” There’s no way Jooheon can see the blush that colors his cheeks but that doesn’t stop Hyungwon from hiding them behind the plush in his grasp again.

Jooheon pauses. Then, he clears his throat and flops back onto his stomach. “I meant: will you still want me to visit.”

Hyungwon heats up even more. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’d want to go home to see your family or do something with your friends.”

Shrugging, Hyungwon looks away from his screen and Jooheon’s eyes. “It’s not like I can’t see any of them whenever I want. But it would be special for you.”

When Jooheon opens his mouth to reply, he’s interrupted by a yawn.

“You really should go to sleep.” Hyungwon frowns and checks the time. “It’s like four in the morning over there, isn’t it?”

Jooheon buries his face in his arms again. His eyes drift shut slow, like an autumn leaf on a breezeless day, and pull back open heavily. “But I wanna talk to you.”

“I’ll call before I go to class.”

Jooheon chuckles and the sound is so warm and sleepy that it stirs up another round of butterflies. “You’d wake up early for me?”

Hyungwon grins. “That’s a big sacrifice so you better appreciate it and get some sleep.”

“Okay, okay.” Jooheon yawns again. He glances up at the camera again. “Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams.”

“You, too.”

Hyungwon unwraps one of his arms to wave at the camera. Jooheon unfolds his to wave back lazily and then ends the video call. Hyungwon stares at the chat interface for a few seconds before shaking his head and logging out.

 

“You got out of it last night but we’re still gonna watch Catfish,” is the first thing Jooheon says after Hyungwon stops hitting snooze on his alarm and finally wakes up enough to call him.

Groaning, Hyungwon buries his face in his pillow. Even with his multiple alarms, he’s still awake an entire hour before he usually is and the always sleepy part of him wishes that he was still dreaming about him and Minhyuk fighting a giant cucumber.

“ _Hey, hey, hey_ ,” Jooheon calls in English. “You’re not allowed to go back to sleep.”

“ _Sorry_.” Pushing himself up, Hyungwon crosses his legs and tugs his blankets up around his head like a cape to combat the chill from the AC he left on overnight. “I’m awake, I swear.”

Jooheon chuckles. “I think you have a pillow mark on your cheek.”

Whining, Hyungwon covers his face with his blankets. “How can you even see that?” It’s too early in the morning to be feeling embarrassed.

Jooheon coos. “It’s cute. I’m glad you slept well. On the other hand, I feel like absolute shit and we open the restaurant in thirty minutes.”

Hyungwon peels back his blankets again and frowns at Jooheon. “Why did you stay up so late, stupid.”

Shrugging, Jooheon leans against something. “I wasn’t thinking about the consequences at the time.”

At the call of his name, he glances off camera. And then his mom is complaining about him not doing anything when they’re opening soon and Jooheon sighs. “Ma, I’ve already finished everything. There’s nothing to do.”

“Maybe there would’ve been something to do if you asked.”

Jooheon gives Hyungwon an exasperated look and Hyungwon covers a laugh with his hand.

“But I see you’re more interested in talking to your boyfriend,” Jooheon’s mom says next, at this point obviously messing with her son.

Jooheon sucks in a sharp breath, staring at his mom with wide eyes. “What are you  _saying_?”

“Hello, Hyungwon,” she greets from off camera.

Hyungwon, a little distracted by the butterflies in his stomach, stutters back a greeting of his own.

Jooheon lowers his phone until Hyungwon can no longer see his face, just the very faded graphic on his black tee, and Hyungwon takes the temporary ‘solitude’ to talk himself out of a daydream where he could actually be more than Jooheon’s online Korean friend.

Jooheon’s mom giggles. “What a scary face you’re making, Honey. Okay, I got it. I’ll leave you for a little while longer.” Her laughter slowly quiets until there’s nothing to be heard.

Sighing again, Jooheon tilts his phone back up and looks directly into the camera as always. “Sorry.”

Hyungwon shakes his head. “It’s fine. I know she’s just joking.”

Jooheon coughs. “Anyway, how long are you gonna stay wrapped up or am I gonna live with talking to a caterpillar?”

“What’s wrong with caterpillars?”

“Nothing. But I was hoping to see a pretty butterfly.”

A fierce blush stamps itself all over Hyungwon’s face. “Shut  _up_ ,” Hyungwon says despite the bashful smile on his face and the clear lilt of his voice. “That’s such a bad line. If that’s how you flirt, then yeah, I probably am the closest thing to a boyfriend you’ll ever have.”

Jooheon’s frowns playfully. “I’ll have you know that line has worked just as planned.”

Hyungwon feels a little weird at the thought Jooheon recycled that flirt on him, but he continues to tease despite that. “Yeah? When?”

Jooheon’s dimple sinks in deep. “Just now when you laughed.”

Hyungwon can’t stop himself from exhaling an idiotic, “Oh...” His stomach dips and flips and jumps and squats; he feels tired just from the exercise routine it’s been doing since the moment Jooheon answered his video call this morning.

“Not bad for a awful flirt, hm?” Jooheon jokes, grinning so hard his eyes shape into moons.

Hyungwon glances away, looking at the stack of textbookson his desk. He squeaks a noncommittal noise. “Eh, maybe you’re okay.”

“Okay is good enough for me.”

They switch topics then, Jooheon asking what Hyungwon’s schedule is like that day. And Hyungwon tells him about the classes he has and his daily dance practice. In turn, Jooheon tells him how long he has to work and about his sister flying in to visit in a few days.

And the entire time, Hyungwon continues to wonder about something he’ll never have.

 

As soon as Hyungwon’s dance practice lets out for the night, he dives first for his water bottle and then, once his stomach warns him that if he keeps drinking, bad things will happen, reaches for his phone. He sinks his teeth into his lip when he unlocks his phone and sees a few messages from Jooheon.

They were supposed to have a short practice today and Hyungwon told Jooheon he’d be available to call. Now it’s two hours past the time Hyungwon said he could talk and Jooheon’s last message is just two sad face emojis.

Sweat plasters Hyungwon’s hair to his face and he pushes it up and out of the way as he quickly gathers his things.

“What are you in a rush for?” Minhyuk, sitting against the mirrors like a bent starfish, asks.

Hyungwon zips up his bag after making sure everything is inside. He stands and hefts the bag up and over his shoulder. “Maybe I had plans that didn’t include practice running two hours over time,” he says, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

He and Jooheon haven’t been able to coordinate a time where they can talk in almost two weeks, and, although not the longest time they’ve gone with just texts, it still has felt like a lifetime.

Minhyuk raises his hands in surrender. “Sorry for asking.”

“Maybe he has a date,” a couple of the other members of the dance team speculate with sparkling eyes and teasing grins.

Hyungwon rolls his eyes and mumbles out a good bye as he leaves the dance studio.

He opens the texts from Jooheon again to look at the time they were sent. There’s a chance the California boy is already preparing for bed and although Jooheon doesn’t care about staying up late to talk, Hyungwon doesn’t want to keep him awake. But there’s also a chance that Jooheon is still up, and knowing his night owl tendencies, it’s a chance that Hyungwon takes.

Leaning against the sign at the bus stop down the street from the studio, Hyungwon presses his phone to his ear.

“Hey,” Jooheon greets after a few rings.

Hyungwon follows up with a quiet ‘hi’.

“Dance practice?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

Jooheon hums a dismissive sound. “It’s fine. You guys work hard.”

He doesn’t sound upset but guilt still churns heavily in Hyungwon’s gut.

“I didn’t think we were going to be held late. Or at least, not  _that_  late. And I’m the newest member so I didn’t know how to ask how to leave and—“

“Peach,” Jooheon interrupts with a small chuckle. “It’s okay; you don’t need to explain.”

The bus turns the corner and Hyungwon holds his phone between his ear and his shoulder so he can find his card. “I didn’t want you to think I forgot or something.” He leaves a silence open until he can take out his bus pass. “You sent me frowny faces. I thought you were sad.”

“I  _was_  sad. Literally held my Princess Peach pillow to my chest and let out a single tear out of loneliness.”

Hyungwon pouts even though he can’t be seen. “Don’t tease me.”

The bus door swings open and Hyungwon steps on, taking a seat in the front.

“Sorry.” Jooheon laughs a little harder. “Are you home?”

“Not yet. I just got on the bus.”

“Oh. Should we hang up until you get home?”

Hyungwon leans against the window. “No, it’s okay. There’s enough people talking that it’s not a problem,” he says. “And I wouldn’t care if it was; I missed you too much to care about inconveniencing others.”

Jooheon is quiet and in the silence, Hyungwon realizes the weight of his words. Warmth spreads up his neck. He opens his mouth to make it sound less strange but he can’t think of anything subtle to say.

“Hyungwon...” Jooheon’s voice is a little softer, a little deeper. “When you get home, can we video?”

Stomach in embarrassed knots, another wave of heat crashes over Hyungwon and he’s not sure if it’s more embarrassment or the result of Jooheon’s tone.

“Of course,” he mumbles, sounding every bit shy as he feels.

“Thank you...I really missed you too.”

 

Glancing at the dry erase calendar on his fridge, Hyungwon frowns. He hasn’t taken the Mario stickers off or erased the bright green words filling in the space of the next week.

The second week of his summer vacation and when Jooheon was supposed to come.

Picking up the tiny magnetic eraser, Hyungwon erases the note. He’s not so upset anymore; Jooheon said he’d do anything to come in the winter and they’ve already made plans to talk next week since Hyungwon told his dance team he wouldn’t be available the second Jooheon booked his flight and never told them those plans were cancelled.

Hyungwon returns the eraser to its spot next to the markers and pulls open the door of fhe fridge. From it, he takes out the package of pre-cut apples he bought last night and a tube of whipped cream. 

When enters his 'bedroom', he tosses the food onto his bed and goes to grab his laptop from his desk. He (gently) tosses that too and climbs onto his bed. It's the first time he's been able to spend the afternoon at home, his dance practice held that morning, and it's foreign. 

Picking up the package of apples, he peels open the plastic seal as he presses the space button with his big toe to play the new Mamma Mia movie he rented off iTunes and has another five hours to watch before it expires.

He tosses an apple slice into his mouth and chases it with a stream of whipped cream.

Hardly ten minutes later, a notification pops up in the corner of his screen. 

 **shy guy [16:28]:** are you really online or did you forget to log out again

He doesn't realize the way his lips pull into a smile instantaneously. Shoving the apple slice he had in his hand into the bag again, Hyungwon opens the chat and tells Jooheon that he is in fact available. And a moment later, his laptop is ringing with the request for a video call.

Jooheon's room is dark, the only light small and poorly illuminating. It's not dark enough to hide that Jooheon is already in bed, one arm folded behind his head. His skin pulls over his muscle and Hyungwon wonders what it'd be like to fit in that space. Despite being someone who hates feeling hot and has kept his air conditioning as low as he can without running his bill too high, he wonders if Jooheon is as warm as he looks.

"No practice?" Jooheon asks, voice hushed.

Hyungwon sits on his hands to stop himself from waving away the blush he knows must have spread like splotchy wild fire. He drags his eyes away from Jooheon's collarbone and the very slight definition of the bit of chest he can see. He's seen Jooheon topless before when the other man was changing before or after work, but this is a little more intimate than those times.

Hyungwon shakes his head. "We had it in the morning."

"Lucky for me, huh," Jooheon says. 

A little overwhelmed and a little flattered, Hyungwon can't help but giggle. "Is it? You're going to sleep soon."

"Mmm, but maybe I wanted you to tell me good night."

That doesn't help Hyungwon's blush lighten at all. 

Blinking, Hyungwon grabs the blanket under his legs so he doesn't float off with all of the butterflies lifting off within him. "You want me to tell you good night? T-That's why you called me?"

Jooheon's light smile turns sheepish. "Is that weird?"

And Hyungwon forgets that for people who live across the world from each other, who have never met, who are  _friends_ , yeah, it's a little weird. 

Suddenly Jooheon's world is shaking and Hyungwon hears the other man grunt. 

Hyungwon snorts and the mood is officially ruined.

"Did you just drop your phone on your face?"

Jooheon picks up his phone, rubbing at his nose. "Don't make fun of me, Peach, I'm sleepy."

Hyungwon coos. "Why won't you go to sleep then?"

"I haven't heard my lullaby yet," says Jooheon. "Talk to me."

Deciding not to think too deeply about what Jooheon means by lullaby, Hyungwon takes out one of his apple slices and continues eating. 

"Talk to you about what?"

Jooheon rolls onto his side and looks at Hyungwon through one eye. "Anything."

So Hyungwon does. He talks about whatever comes to mind until Jooheon's eyelids flutter.

"Honey?"

Jooheon pulls himself to wakefulness again. "Mmm?"

"Good night."

"G'night."

 

The next week, Hyungwon is falling asleep over his laptop playing videos from a recent vogueing competition in Paris when there’s a knock at his door. Patting his cheeks and shaking himself awake, he slides out of his desk chair.

“I’m coming!” he shouts as he looks for his wallet to pay for the jajangmyeon he ordered.

After finding it under his morphology textbook, Hyungwon walks to the door, apologizing before he even finishes unlocking it.

“Sorry about the wait. I—“

“Yo!”

Jooheon lifts up a hand in a quick, lazy wave, the other curled around the thick white strap of the book bag slung loosely over his right shoulder. A white snapback is pulled backwards over his hair, a few wavy black strands framing his face that’s bunched up in mirth.

Hyungwon stares at the man in his doorway, his mouth parted around a silent gasp. He reaches out a hand to pinch the other man’s cheek, pulling it back quickly at the touch of soft skin.

Jooheon snorts. “Aren’t you supposed to pinch yourself to check if you’re dreaming?”

The clarity of his voice in person hits Hyungwon straight in his chest. “Did it hurt?” he asks, just a little breathless.

Laughing, Jooheon bounces the bag on his shoulder. “No, but you pinched me like you would a newborn baby you think is cute not like you wanted to shock us out of a dream.”

“Oh my god.”

He’s here.

Jooheon is here. Outside his shitty one room apartment wearing that smile that made Hyungwon feel like he could touch the sun. Except now he really can.

Jooheon inhales slowly and exhales out his teasing, leaving a timid smile and elation. “Surprise,” he says gently, like screaming it out with a laugh isn’t fit for the occasion. He drops his backpack to the floor and Hyungwon almost asks what he’s doing taking it off before coming in. But then he spreads his arms and tilts his head to the side in a silent question that Hyungwon answers by tossing his arms over his shoulders.

Jooheon completes the hug, wrapping his arms around the middle of Hyungwon’s back. He smells like artificial laundry — probably a body spray — the scent thick at his neck where Hyungwon leaves his nose.

They’re quiet as they hug, both completely taken in the moment. They both knew the other was a real, breathing human, but like this, pressed up together in Hyungwon’s doorway, it's almost like everything before was their imaginations.

Jooheon slides his hands from under Hyungwon’s shoulder blades to his waist, squeezing tighter like he needs that extra confirmation that Hyungwon is real, that they’re both really standing face to face and no longer across the world.

“How are you here? I thought you couldn’t come. What about the restaurant?” Hyungwon questions, still unable to believe Jooheon is here, in Korea, despite feeling his solid weight against his body.

"My parents never asked me to stay," Jooheon reveals, finally letting go and taking a step back.

Hyungwon drops his arms with reluctance.

"Thought it'd be more special if I surprised you."

Hyungwon's breath catches on emotions that make his heart thunder and his eyes a little misty. "Just you being here is as special as I need it to be."

Something in Jooheon's gaze changes -- a slight edge, a sudden softness, a new warmth. "Hyungwon…I'm here."

Hyungwon nods and loops his arms around Jooheon's neck again. Stepping into his space, Hyungwon tucks his face into his neck again. His eyes drift shut when Jooheon's arms return and a head is laid on his shoulder as well. 

"You are."


End file.
